Sparkling Yankee crossed the finish line faster than any mare in the history of Northfield Park when she won Thursday’s $12,000 Fillies and Mares Open in 1:52.
The clocking is a new track record for five-year-old and up pacing mares, breaking the 1:52.1 mark set by Dont Blame Her (Dan Noble) in 2011.
Joseph J. Miller of Dundee, Ohio and Michael Yoder of Fredericksburg, Ohio own Sparkling Yankee. Miller also trains the six-year-old and called upon Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. for the winning drive.
Sparkling Yankee, a daughter of Yankee Cruiser-Northmedo Tam, started from post four. She was content in fourth through the initial fractions of :26.1 and :54. Wrenn pulled Sparkling Yankee to the outside and she sustained a successful first-over bid through times of 1:22.4 and 1:52. The clocking placed her two-lengths clear of her closest competitor at the finish.
Sparkling Yankee now has nine wins in 22 starts this year. Thursday’s victory represents her 21st career score and bolstered her bankroll to $95,101. She returned $5.80 to win. She was one of five winners on the night for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.
(Northfield Park)